New Friend, Old Enemy
by fantasticbluebox723
Summary: The Doctor is on holiday and meets a new friend. She seems nice enough but is shrouded in mystery and curious circumstances. Is it possible she isn't quite who she says she is? Or is there something both she and the Doctor need to find out? 10th Doctor with significant reference to classic Doctor Who. Romance to come but nothing that graphic.
1. Christmas in London

**A/N: **So... er, hello. I'm Bri. I'm 14 and I live in the US. This is my first story on . I joined about 5 minutes ago. This isn't even close to being done, so, please be kind with reviews, I'd appreciate it. :)

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The door of the blue box opened with a creak, and a man with the long brown coat and spiky brown hair stepped out and peered around. He tapped an earpiece on his right ear and said something into it, then he strode into a back alley and onto the sidewalk next to the busy street in Chiswick, England. He blinked into the bright sunlight, which remained undaunted by the heavy grey clouds promising a snowy evening. All around him, people in heavy coats and stocking caps scuttled busily around the shops, admiring the elaborate window displays and the garlands strung onto the lampposts. Children pointed at various windows and cried, "Ooh, can I have _that _for Christmas, Mummy?" A windup plaster Father Christmas jerkily waved at passerby from a street corner.

The Doctor grinned. England was his favorite place to be for the holidays.

"So, what are you actually hoping to achieve?" came a girl's voice from the other end of the earpiece. "Are there more intergalactic Christmas visitors to England this year or something?"

"Not that I know of," said the Doctor. "Well, they could always be going by galactic standard time, which could mean that they planned to attack on Christmas but end up 4,982 days late by Earth time… but in the meantime I just want to enjoy the holidays." He chuckled. "You humans. It's ridiculous how you all go batty about a perceptively tiny thing. Brilliant, but ridiculous."

"I still don't get why you're so close to where I live, but you still leave me stranded here with Mum. Why couldn't you go someplace further away? Like… I don't know –"

"I was going to go to Anagonia, but as they're currently in the middle of World War 873 I thought I wouldn't interfere. Besides, I like it here."

"But what if something happens?"

"Come on, Rose. This earpiece will make it feel like you're here with me the whole time. Except when you sleep. I don't really want to hear that. Besides, it's Christmas in England. What could possibly happen?"

"Remember last Christmas?"

"Ennh. I'll be awake the whole time this time. Besides, this was the only compromise I could make with your mother. She insisted on having you home for the holidays, and if I didn't agree she threatened to cut off my – well, anyway, I barely got her to agree to the headpiece. She wanted me away so she could spend a nice quiet Christmas with you."

"Quiet! Ha!" Rose's snort of derision caused the earpiece to squeak painfully, and the Doctor winced. "It's barely been _quiet _with her newboyfriend over!"

"She's got another one?"

"She dumped Harold… four months ago?"

"Can't believe she kept him for that long."

Rose laughed. "Well, anyway, he's about as thick as a birch rod but he's a laugh enough. The trouble is, he plays the _Rick Astley Christmas Album _on full volume every evening and dances like a drunkard. Quiet indeed."

"By the way, your mum says you're not to wear the earpiece at dinner, and she also told me to tell you that Mr Martens wants you to shovel his driveway every time it snows while his son's on holiday, and that you're not getting paid for it. She said she'd take it better from me than her."

"Muuuum!" The earpiece crackled and went silent. Evidently Rose was about to say some things to her mother she didn't care for the Doctor to hear.

The Doctor chuckled out loud and put the earpiece in one of his pockets for the time being. It would beep when he had an incoming message from Rose, so he could relieve himself of it for now.

As much as he hated to admit it to himself, it was rather nice having a holiday to himself, if just for this time. He loved Rose's company, but in case anything _did _happen she was better off at Jackie's. Maybe that was how it should be, to keep her out of trouble….

_Stop thinking like that, _he snapped at himself. _She wanted to come along and you let her. You told her about the danger and she came anyway. It was her choice._

And what would I do without her, he thought. Certainly he didn't want to go back to being by himself. He didn't think he could stand it. Besides, he loved having Rose around – in a way, she understood everything. Maybe not scientifically, but there was no denying she was clever.

He continued walking and looking around at the Christmas-decked city. The flyers in the store windows advertised Christmas concerts and readings, 50% of this and a great holiday deal on that. But one flyer caught his eye.

_Are You Ready For The Next Attack?_

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I don't know how long it will take to continue this, so please be patient. I love to write, but I'm still learning and I'm new to this website. Cheers! -Bri


	2. Not A Normal Person

He walked closer to the window and took a closer look at the tattered flyer. A very pixelated photograph of the Slitheen spaceship crashing into Big Ben dominated the header of the paper, with the title in bold. Beneath the title the words "_Protect yourself from Dangerus Aliens! Call 800-764-3990 for your free Anti-alien Packet!" _were written in felt pen. The Doctor wanted to take out his own pen and correct the spelling of "Dangerous", but refrained. Instead he took out the cell phone he had bought the other day before he left Rose and added the number in. _It might be a laugh, _he thought. _I can't imagine what an "anti-alien packet" would consist of. _Looking at the number again, something caught his attention.

Why would an unprofessional hand-made flyer be advertising an 800 number? Residents didn't have 800 numbers – businesses had.

The Doctor's eyebrows scrunched in stupefaction. It made no sense.

He dug the earpiece out of his enormous pockets and hissed into it. "Rose!"

No answer. Clearly she was still at war with Jackie. He sighed and put the earpiece back into his pocket.

"Funny, isn't it?"

The voice caused him to whirl around in alarm. He hadn't any idea there was someone behind him.

A young woman, bundled up against the cold, was standing just behind him looking at the sign. She started when he turned so quickly to face her. "Sorry! I didn't mean to sneak up on you!"

The Doctor sighed, relieved. She looked completely harmless – in fact, she appeared quite pleasant. She was eyeing the Doctor nervously, as though afraid he was angry at her, but she had a sweet face. Her dark hair was peppered with just-fallen snowflakes, and her nose was bright red. "That's all right," said the Doctor after he had made these observations.

"But it _is _weird, isn't it?" said the young woman. "I mean, I've seen that flyer up since about six months ago, and as far as I know no one's paid any attention to it. Who knows, maybe this bloke knows something we don't." She smiled. "Well, anyway. See you."

She turned around and made to keep walking, but the Doctor said, "Wait –" She turned around, puzzled. "Yes?"

"Er – what's your name?" he asked, unsure why he didn't just let her walk away. For some reason, she seemed important.

The young woman smiled pleasantly. "Veronica. Most people call me Ronnie. And you?"

"I'm – " the Doctor hesitated. "John Smith. Are you going somewhere?"

"Home," said Ronnie. "If you could call it that. I live in a flat on Bell. Work at Waitrose. You?" she asked, still smiling.

"Oh, just…" the Doctor jerked his head noncommittally. "Wandering. Nice to see the town at Christmas."

"Yeah, but you know, this isn't my favourite time of year."

"Why not?"

Ronnie shrugged. "Too cold. Holidays aren't as fun when all you do is work, eat noodles and watch telly. But anyway," she said, waving her hand casually. "Where d'you live?"

The Doctor put his hands in his pockets. "Out of town."

"Oh. By yourself, or…"

"Sort of. Well... yeah."

Ronnie laughed. "Oh dear! Well, you know it's not safe to be alone, what with all these _aliens _about." She rolled her eyes and grinned. "Well, I had better get going. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too," said the Doctor. He watched her reposition her scarf and walk away, a strange look in his eye. Even after she disappeared around the block, he remained rooted to the spot, staring at the corner where she had turned.

"Calling Romeo. Come in, Romeo."

"Wha –" the Doctor fumbled with the earpiece, finally slamming it onto his ear. Rose's voice, strangely high-pitched, caused the receptor to squeak again._ "What was that all about?"_

"What was what all about?"

"Don't pretend I couldn't hear that!"

"Hear what?"

"Don't be thick. You talked to a girl and now you're really quiet."

The Doctor groaned. "How long were you listening?"

"Why? Did I miss the _juicier _bits of that little conversation?" Rose was clearly trying to keep her voice under control, but she sounded slightly hysterical.

"Rose –"

"Was she pretty then?"

"What?"

"_Was she pretty?"_

"Rose, I barely talked to her for five minutes."

"Why did you talk to her at all?"

"I dunno, it's…" the Doctor rubbed his temples in a familiar thoughtful gesture. "I feel like I'm missing something with her, she seems impor –"

"_Missing something?"_

"I just mean that she seems like she's not just a normal person, there's something peculiar about her…. I can't put my finger on –"

"I thought you said you just talked to her for five minutes."

"If I hadn't had this feeling, I wouldn't've talked to her at all. Do you understand what I'm saying? Something's going on!"

"And she just happens to be a part of it."

The Doctor groaned again. "Can't you just let the fact that she's a girl go and focus on the bigger picture? _Now?"_

Rose huffed. "Fine."

"Right. Good. Now…" the Doctor clicked the number on the flyer on his cell phone, and held it to his ear as it began to ring. "I have a feeling this isn't going to be another peaceful Christmas."


End file.
